The present invention relates generally to the art of industrial vacuum loaders and cleaners, and more specifically to the art of boom and hose support systems for such machines. Many varieties of such loaders and cleaners are known to the art, including mobile and stationary machines, and the uses for such machines are as varied as the designs themselves. For example, such machines are used for cleaning gutters, sewers, catch-basins and industrial plants or for loading particulate solids or liquid materials. One type of mobile industrial vacuum loader and cleaner is described in detail in U.S. Pat. No. 3,885,932, issued May 27, 1975, to Lionel G. Moore, et al., entitled "Dust Filtration System." A common feature of machines of the class described is a heavy duty intake hose, which may or may not include an intake nozzle. Such machines also commonly include hose supports and systems for manipulating the hose or a hose in combination with a metal pipe attached to the end. The hose and pipe may be in excess of 20 feet in length and may weigh in excess of 300 pounds. The support and manipulative systems may include means for horizontally and vertically moving the hose to position the free end of the hose adjacent to the materials to be collected. The outlet end of the hose is commonly coupled to a container or truck body and the machines include a vacuum system for creating an air flow through the hose to draw the material to be collected or loaded through the hose and into the container or body.
Some larger machines may include a plurality of inlet openings to the body or container, one or more of which are coupled to hoses during operation. The hose support and manipulative systems permit coupling of the heavy hoses to selected ones of these openings.
Several major problems are encountered with the boom and hose support and manipulative systems of the prior art. As previously mentioned, the hoses are heavy and quite stiff, and in addition the hoses are relatively expensive. The hoses of the prior art devices have a tendency to kink or tear resulting in reduced hose lifetimes and expensive repair or replacement. The intake end of the hose commonly must be elevated ten feet or more for maximum collection and loading efficiency for a variety of job applications. These problems are particularly pronounced if a pipe is attached to the free end for the purpose of cleaning pits or catch basins.
Most prior art devices simply employ a collar fixedly secured to a point of the hose near its mid-point and a cable attached to the collar and the free end of a boom for raising the collar, and in turn, the section of the hose to which the collar is attached. This technique is not a satisfactory solution to the problem of hose kinking, because the optimum position for hose support varies along the hose as the lift height is varied. Even with those prior art systems which utilize a plurality of collars secured to the hose, the kinking problem is not overcome. Furthermore, these prior art devices do not provide uniform support for the bent portion of the hose.
The prior art booms associated with the hose support and manipulative systems also suffer from certain disadvantages. Among these is providing sufficient lifting torque about the hinge pin without increasing the head room requirements for the machine or sacrificing payload capacity.
A boom and hose cradle and support system which overcomes the aforementioned problems would be a significant advance in the vacuum loading and cleaning technology.